Son of a Daedra
by Whybe123
Summary: I was born cursed. I will wear this mask till the end of my days, for the sake of everyone around me.


**~;~;~ JACK ~;~;~**

"Jack, get up, I heard something." Iona's panicked voice jostled me from what light sleep I had managed to fall into, Sitting up straight from my bedroll, I crawled out of the small fur tent we pitched and stood next to the dead fire. I scanned the darkness with my fists wielding spells that would send an intruder to Oblivion. The night was silent aside from the rustling of the trees in the brisk wind. After a moment's silence I relaxed and turned back to face Iona.

"I think you're a little paranoid." I growled and laid back next to her in the tent. She glared at me and huffed with frustration.

"I am _not paranoid._" She bit back. "I heard something, it sounded like a wolf."

"Well if it _is_ a wolf, I'm sure we could handle it." I said back and rolled over in an attempt to get comfortable, wearing this damned Daedric Masque all the time was annoying but I had to.

"Jack, please." Iona whined and shook me. All I wanted was to get a little sleep, was that too much to ask? Yes, apparently.

"Fine, damn, I'll go look around!" I shouted and crawled back out of the tent. I conjured a familiar and a sword before heading out into the woods near the camp. The wolf familiar gave out a soft blue glow, casting an eerie light on the leaf-covered ground around us. Still, I saw nothing.

"Iona, there is absolutely nothing out here." I shouted, stomping back to the tent. Iona pouted at me, her lip jutting out like a child.

"you're acting ridiculous, Iona. There was nothing out there." I stated with my hands on my hips. "If something does come, I'll kill it and mount it at Honeyside as a reminder forever that I was wrong and you were right."

"Whatever, Jack." She spat and rolled back onto her side and snuggled under the furs. I chuckled and curled back in the tent beside her. I snaked my arm around her waist, feeling her smooth skin against my own, and pulled her back into me. She sighed and rolled over to face me. Her eyes scanned my masque with despair and curiosity.

"I love you, you know that." Iona whispered.

"I know." I breathed back, putting one of my hands against her cheek.

"Why won't you take the masque off? It won't change how I feel about you. It's the least I could ask; seeing my own husband's face." Iona asked me, her voice frail. I sighed.

"You don't understand...You won't love if you see my face, Iona; I'm cursed." I said. "I was cursed at birth, anyone who sees my face is incapable of loving me; they all hate me and want to kill me."

"That can't be true, Jack, I love you, I love you so much-"

"And I want to keep it that way." I said insistently, gripping her hands in mine. She sighed in defeat and ran her hands along my chest, along the markings that scarred my skin.

"You wont tell me what these runes mean either." She said slowly.

"You do not need to know." I pulled her hands away. "Just sleep love, and be calm."

"Fine, Jack." Iona was mad at me, but she couldn't be blinded by that. She kissed my swollen knuckles gently before falling back asleep. Soon I joined her.

~;~;~

When dawn came, nothing was right.

We weren't in our camp anymore, we were in the courtyard of a fort. Iona was strung up on a deer-skinning hoist, I was chained to a wooden post by the stables, Bandits were everywhere.

"Iona!" I screamed, "You let her go! Let us go!" The apparent bandit cheif sauntered over to me, his steel armor hid all of his features.

"Oh, so you're finally awake? Now you can watch us ravage your wife." He was smirking, I could tell by his voice.

"I won't let that happen!" I shouted and pulled against the wooden post, It cracked and shuddered, only giving a little, but it gave me enough hope to continue.

"Agh! Quick, someone paralyze him!" Shouted the leader, an arrow flew out of nowhere and lodged deep into my shoulder, I cringed but sucked in the pain as it quickly turned to numbness.

"Now, let's see what's under this mask." The leader laughed.

"No! She can't see!" I struggled against the poison. "Iona don't look!"

Iona didn't listen and looked on with the bandits as I felt the mask leave my face for the first time since...I don't even know. Then all I remember was the screaming, all of them screaming at the top of their lungs, blood pouring from their mouths, noses, and eyes. All of them died horribly, yelling in pain. Then I saw Iona. She was silent, but bleeding. All the others died, it was just her strung up across from me, her clothes were tattered, her body was bruised.

"Your eyes..." She whispered. "They're...so beautiful." Then, with a heave, blood spouted from her mouth and ran down the front of her body. Her head dropped down and she went still. I felt ears run down my cheeks for the first time.

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" _I howled and pounded against the wooden post until it began to splinter. My wife, my love, my world; everything torn away!

I am cursed.

_I am not meant to love._

* * *

**Extremely short, like beyond short, even for me, but hey; need a semi dramatic character inro right? Even if it's not as in-depth aas I wish I could make it. But, whatever! Enjoy and be prepared for ch2...eventually.**


End file.
